Residents under siege by learner drivers - councillor

Residents in an East Sussex town are calling on driving instructors to stop using their roads as a "non-stop conveyor belt of nervous drivers".

People living in Ashford Road and Ashford Way in Hastings are forming a group to address the "invasion" of learners, town councillor Andy Batsford said.

One instructor told the BBC the area was ideal for students to practise safely and he had never seen any learner accidents there.

But resident Peter Robson said: "It’s like living in a dangerous ground hog day with hundreds of learner drivers a week."

"Sometimes there are five learner cars in a row lining up to take pot shots at parking around my car, and when damage is done no-one takes responsibility," he added.

Mr Batsford said residents were "fully aware" the Ashford Road area was on the driving test route, so instructors would want students to practise there.

However, he said the "sheer number" of learners every day into the dark evenings was "worrying" elderly residents.

He said headlights were "blaring into their front rooms every 10 minutes", saying it was "intrusive and unsettling".

Driving instructor Noel Giles said the roads were "nice, quiet, calm streets where people could learn how to drive safely".

He said these conditions were especially important for younger, less confident drivers.

"People have got the right to complain, but if they are drivers they have learnt somewhere before," he said.

Running his driving school for more than 15 years, he said he had never seen any accidents, crashes or damage by learners in the area.

"We try to be as courteous as we can," he added.

Mr Batsford said residents were planning to form a campaign group and had printed guidance leaflets to encourage instructors to use other areas.

They will meet this week to decide the "best course" of further action, he added.

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